Human Rights Group Urges FIFA to Block Gianni Infantino's Re-Election Bid Over Term Limits

Human rights organisation FairSquare has called on FIFA to rule Gianni Infantino ineligible for another term as president of the football governing body, contending he has already fulfilled the maximum limit of three terms established in the statutes. While FIFA statutes restrict presidents to three terms in office, Gianni Infantino argued in 2022 that his initial tenure—which started following his election at an Extraordinary FIFA Congress in 2016 after Sepp Blatter stepped down—should be excluded from the limit because it fulfilled an interrupted mandate.

According to The Athletic, FairSquare submitted a letter to FIFA’s Governance, Audit and Compliance Committee (GACC) arguing that this interpretation contradicts FIFA regulations. FairSquare’s Director Nicholas McGeehan stated to the Reuters news agency that the complaint highlights a clear violation of rules and establishes a dangerous precedent, noting that the regulations explicitly cap presidential terms at three and cannot be bypassed simply by dismissing the first term.

Gianni Infantino faces growing scrutiny ahead of the upcoming FIFA Congress in Morocco on March 18, where he is anticipated to run for re-election for the 2027-31 cycle. Recently, UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation, and CONCACAF requested an evaluation of Gianni Infantino’s conduct after a proposal to establish a $20bn subsidiary tied to competitions like the World Cup to draw private investment. Sources indicated to Reuters that these confederations viewed the letter as an opportunity for Gianni Infantino to step down gracefully, while national associations like the Scottish Football Association also voiced opposition through chief executive Ian Maxwell. Conversely, Gianni Infantino continues to maintain support from the African and South American confederations.

FairSquare additionally challenged the transparency of the 2022 ruling, pointing out that the committee never published its justification. Miguel Maduro, the former leader of FIFA’s independent Governance and Review Committee who helped draft the letter to the GACC, emphasized that term limits were a core component of the 2016 reforms designed to restrict power and prevent rule circumvention.